The most palpable advantage of owning a coffee machine is to enjoy a fresh brew of coffee to attain a robust start in the comfort of your home. It makes it convenient to have a cup of Joe without dealing with crowds or having to wait in line at your preferred coffee shop.
The best coffee machine makes it easy to enjoy your coffee piping hot which is rare for deliveries and takeaways. You’re capable of testing different types of brews like cappuccinos and lattes depending on the appliance. It is a great machine to test various flavors such as cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla, or ginger.
There are various types of coffee makers such as drip and pour-over, single-serve, or smart coffee makers. Also, there are different brands such as Keurig and Cuisinart coffee makers. You can buy a cheap coffee maker for under $100 or one that cost $400.
Coffee lovers everywhere have heard the same advice ‘get a good coffee maker if you want a really great cup of joe’. But with so many kinds of coffee makers out there, where do you begin?
In this blog post, we’re going to break down the various types of coffee makers and give you some tips on how to choose the right one for your needs. Our policy is to give you the best advice so that you can save money while at the same time getting an amazing coffee machine.
Features to look for when buying a coffee maker
When it comes to coffee makers, there are a lot of different features to consider. Here is a quick guide to help you decide which features are most important to you:
Brewing Time
How quickly does the coffee maker brew a pot of coffee? If you need your coffee right away in the morning, you’ll want a coffee maker that has a fast brewing time.
The old brew systems have a waiting time of ten or more waiting system our before your coffee is ready for consumption. Modern machines have different brewing times but the industrial leading suggests you buy a brewing system in under three minutes.
Brew Size
How many cups of coffee does the coffee maker make at once? If you have a large family or entertain often, you’ll want a coffee maker with a higher capacity.
The coffee makers have varieties ranging from a single cup to a commercial machine that can make a number of cups at once. If you live solo or when everyone in a home wakes up at a different time, the single-serve coffee machine will serve you efficiently. A machine labeled 6 oz is small.
For those with large families who love lots of coffee or people holding dinner parties where coffee is part of the selection, then you may select one labeled 10 to 12 cups.
Programmability
Can the coffee maker be programmed to start brewing at a certain time? This is convenient if you like to have your coffee ready first thing in the morning.
A good coffee machine should be programmable to automatically brew a cup of coffee by the time you wake up. It is important that you prepare everything before sleeping and set the time required for the machine to start brewing. Place the coffee cup correctly and you’ll find the coffee dripping hot by the time you’re waking up.
Ease of Use
How easy is it to use the coffee maker? You should be able to easily figure out how to use all the features without having to read the manual.
Water Filter
It is important to note that the water used to prepare the coffee can bring a huge difference. The coffee shops use machines with water filters. The water tap interferes with the smell and taste of coffee. It is essential to have a coffee machine with a built-in water filter to purify the water and eliminate harsh flavors and odors.
A Steamer or a Frother
Do you fancy exotic lattes and cappuccinos like the ones you buy in the coffee shop?
Buying a coffee maker with a frother or a steamer helps you to make perfect lattes and cappuccinos. Kindly, resist adding milk to your coffee to try and get a flavor close to what you get in the coffee restaurants.
Thermal Carafe
There are people who prefer to drink coffee all day. I mean, you prefer drinking multiple cups of coffee at different times of the day. Then, you may choose to buy a coffee with thermal carafes to keep coffee hot long after brewing.
The coffee makers with thermal carafes are either made from glass or stainless steel. The glass carafe holds coffee warm for 20 minutes while offering you an opportunity to measure the quantity of coffee in the pot with a glimpse. A stainless steel carafe is insulated and well-vacuumed with a holding time of around an hour.
Price
Coffee makers can range in price from very affordable to quite expensive. Decide how much you’re willing to spend on your new coffee maker before starting your search.
The expensive machines are those with a range of features such as a full-color LCD touchscreen and modifiable brewing temperature. If you’re on a budget, you need to carefully examine your options before making a choice to avoid buying a product that cannot serve you appropriately.
Brew Temperature
If you’re a coffee addict or fanatic, then you need this feature. The coffee machine that has adjustable brewing temperature offers you an opportunity to modify the flavors that your coffee beans bring.
However, the truth is that the change in temperature brings out minimal to no change. In fact, you might not notice the difference unless you work in the coffee industry or you’re a huge coffee fan. Anyway, it’s still a nice feature to have for your coffee machine.
Energy Saving Mode
A coffee machine doesn’t escalate your energy bill. The truth is that the machine utilizes minimal electricity. However, our belief is that we must save that penny that should not be lost. That is why you need a coffee machine with an automatic shutoff timer that disables the heating component when there is elapse of a certain amount of stoppage.
User Interface
I’m a tech enthusiast and that is why I own a Keurig K155 Office Pro Commercial Coffee Maker. The smart coffee machine has an LCD screen that assists you to traverse various options easily. It eliminates the need for buttons and makes your sleek machine more convenient and useful.
Water Reservoir
It is essential to check on the water reservoir to eliminate the need for refills. A larger reservoir saves you time and eradicates the need for tiresome extra tasks of refilling it.
An office or restaurant setting will necessitate you to purchase a coffee machine with large reservoirs. It will offer a better experience as it minimizes the need to refill it frequently. However, a single user may not find it hard to add a cup of coffee to the machine every time she brews her coffee.
Cup Size
The coffee makers have an array of sizes ranging from small, medium, to large. For example, the six ounces is the large one, the eight ounces is the standard size, and the 10 ounces is a large size.
The machine allows you to select the size of the cup depending on the amount of coffee you need. However, the amount of coffee grounds selected remains similar no matter the amount of coffee it gives,
The richest flavor in the world of K-cups is the eight-ounce cup. The coffee with 10 ounces can be more diluted while those with six –ounces are more concentrated.
Brew Style Feature
It is the easiest way to select the strength of your flavor and customize your user experience. The machine can have an option regular, strong, and mild. Nonetheless, the cup size will eventually have a bigger consequence on the final flavor.
Adjustable Settings
A nice coffee maker should be programmed according to your taste and preference. It ensures you get your coffee just the way you need it.
Warranty
It is essential to be mindful of the warranty. Mostly, you’ll find the Keurig coffee maker to have a warranty of one year and you can get it replaced or fixed free of charge if anything happens within a year of purchase.
Maintenance Reminder
It is an essential practice on the best way to clean a coffee maker to make your coffee have a nice taste every time. However, you can forget the regular maintenance making calcium deposits and other bacteria build-up reducing the quality of your coffee. The best coffee machine cheap should notify you when it’s time to descale or clean it.
Built-in Grinder for Use with Coffee grounds
Most coffee machines are limited to using K-cups. However, there are coffee makers that allow the use of coffee grounds which is more affordable compared to K-cups. Thus, it is a practice that can save you lots of cash in the long run.
It is critical to look for a coffee maker with a built-in grinder to enable you to use fresh coffee grounds and get a flavorful cup of joe.
Additional Accessories
I like to buy a machine that comes bundled with other accessories that makes it efficient. The coffee maker can come with fittings that can make it easy to start brewing immediately. For instance, it might be accompanied by a K-cup holder, thermos, and pods.
Conclusion
We hope this coffee maker buying guide has been able to provide you with all the information you need in order to make an informed decision when it comes to purchasing your next coffee maker. With so many different types of coffee makers on the market, there’s sure to be something out there that fits both your needs and budget. Whether it’s a manual pour-over or a fully automatic machine, invest in your morning cup of joe and get ready for some freshly brewed deliciousness!
